Title:First line of defense for first responders

During Melanoma Awareness Month in May, Umayr Shaikh (M’26) led a community health event that screened nearly 200 local firefighters for skin cancer. Holding the event at Fire Station 4 in Washington, DC, which serves as a central hub for other companies, ensured firefighters from multiple stations were able to participate.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), who launched the Firefighter Skin Cancer Checks Program in 2024, firefighters have a higher risk of melanoma and skin cancer than the general public.

Shaikh worked with local nonprofit We Rock Cancer, who provided supplies like special lighting, individual tents for screenings, and a list of dermatologists for follow-up evaluations. Medical student event planners also contacted pharmaceutical companies to provide sunscreen samples as take-home gift bags.

Shaikh found volunteer medical students from dermatology interest groups at Georgetown, Howard, and George Washington Universities. Across the three-day event, the volunteers learned by shadowing and helping the 17 licensed dermatology providers.

Dermatologist Neelam Khan (M’16) served as the event’s AAD member sponsor, hosting monthly planning meetings at her home near Georgetown’s Hilltop campus.

Large-scale events, where the goal is to screen as many patients as possible, are “only successful when you have a lot of help,” says Khan. Including the DC event, approximately 2,500 firefighters have now received free skin cancer checks from AAD events in 2025.

“With a lot of these cancers, the main thing to keep in mind is that so many of them are easy to cure,” says Khan. “Screenings allow any cancers or abnormal spots to be caught early so patients can be referred for further examination, and if needed, biopsy and removal.”

Khan was impressed with how firefighters were “health-forward” in seriously considering their skin health, showing up in force and asking great questions about dermatology.

“Out of the many screenings that I’ve done, this was one of the best,” says Khan. “We were so happy with how it went—and we’ve already started planning for next year.”

“Our goal is to eventually include all 30-plus stations in DC,” says Shaikh.